1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to support stands that are designed to serve as a support for a decorative display such as a Christmas tree, and more specifically relates to a support stand that causes the decorative display to rotate in a circular fashion and has an electrical source of supply for the display.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Support stands for decorative displays such as Christmas trees have long been known and a variety of different embodiments of such stands are available. With respect to stands used to support decorative displays, such as Christmas trees, that include electrical lighting, the use of a stand that causes the display to rotate provides the problem of supplying electrical power to the lighting in a fashion that does not cause electrical cords to become wrapped around the display during its rotation.
The present invention is adapted to provide a revolving support stand for a decorative display that permits electrical power to be provided to the display during its rotation. This power supply is provided in a unique and efficient fashion so as to provide a source of electrical power that rotates in unison with the display.
The present invention provides a revolving stand to support the trunk of a decorative display for circular rotation and includes a base, a trunk holder associated with the base, an electrical motor for rotating the trunk holder, an electrical outlet associated with an upper end of the trunk holder, and means for supplying electrical power from a power source to the electrical outlet while the trunk holder rotates with respect to the base.
Preferably, the trunk holder includes a bottom hub portion that is seated in a top opening in the base to project into a housing forming the base. Electrical contact means are located in the housing and the trunk holder includes conducting means for electrically connecting the outlet to the contact means. Gear means are associated with the motor and the trunk holder to provide rotational force on the holder when the motor is in an on condition, and conducting means are provided for providing electrical power to the motor and the contact means from a source of power, such as a normal electrical outlet of a building.
Preferably, the electrical conducting means includes a pair of contact rings mounted on the bottom of the hub portion of the trunk holder so that each of said rings engage one of the contact means in the housing and further includes an electrical conductor extending between the electrical outlet and said contact rings so that as the trunk holder rotates, a complete electrical circuit is maintained from the source for providing electrical power to the electrical outlet at the top of the trunk holder.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated from the following description. The description makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which are provided for illustration of the preferred embodiment. However, such embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention. The subject matter which the inventor does regard as his invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of this specification.